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Author Notes: OK, so my Longhorns did NOT win the BCS championship. At least we had good chili to cry over. If you do not happen to have a nephew whose girlfriend's mom recently shot an elk and shared, then lean beef, bison, or venison will work. This is proof that chili does not have to be heavy and greasy!!! —aargersi

Serves 6-8

thick slices of onion

2tablespoons olive oil

1pound ground elk

1/2 yellow onion - chopped

5 cloves minced garlic

2teaspoons cumin

2teaspoons smoked sweet paprika

2tablespoons chili powder

1 ancho chili

1 dark beer (I used Abita Oktoberfest)

8ounces unsalted tomato sauce

2tablespoons masa harina

1 can red kidney beans - rinsed

1/2cup beef or veal stock

additional beer

pickled jalapenos

shredded sharp cheddar

chili cheese Fritos (don't laugh - they're awesome!)

Put your slices of onion in a container and cover them with water - stick them in the fridge for later

Soak the ancho chili in the beer. When it is soft (I nuke mine for a couple of minutes to speed things up) remove the stem and seeds and chop it up. SAVE THE BEER!

Heat the oil in a large pot to med-high. Add the elk, season with a bit of salt and pepper, and brown it for 7-8 minutes until the pink is gone.

Add the chopped onions (not the ones in water in the fridge!) and cook for several more minutes, then the garlic and 2-3 more minutes.

We made this chili tonight and it was fantastic. We made it with elk steak, thinly sliced, and it was perfectly chunky and delicious. Next time I'll soak the dried chili for much longer, but the porter we used was so flavorful.